A Sachin special

FINALLY ESCAPED THE 90s: India batsman Sachin Tendulkar points to the heavens after scoring a sparkling century on the third day of the second Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.Photo: AFP

Sachin Tendulkar sublimely batted India into the lead in the second Test with a record 38th Test century to put the pressure back on to Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground here on Friday.
'The Little Master' defied all efforts from cricket's number one team to remove him and remained undefeated on 154 in almost seven hours at the crease off 243 balls with 14 boundaries and a six.
Aided by some spirited lower-order partnerships, Tendulkar rallied India to 532 and a handy 69-run first innings lead with two days left to get a result.
Australia had a nervy 19 minutes and five overs to reach stumps at 13 without loss, with Phil Jaques on eight and Matthew Hayden not out five.
The 34-year-old Indian cricket hero hit his eighth century against Australia and completed his third century in four Tests at the ground to extend his SCG average to a stunning 326 from six innings with four not outs.
"It's an important century because it came at the right time," Tendulkar said. "There's plenty of cricket left. We need to put the ball in the right areas and it should be backed by good fielding for us to have a chance.
"It's one of my favorite grounds. I've really enjoyed batting here every moment. It's truly been memorable, all my outings."
Tendulkar, halfway through his 144th Test match, has now amassed 11,520 runs and he is just 433 away from retired West Indian Brian Lara's world record of 11,953.
Tendulkar, revered by Australian cricket fans for his batting artistry on his farewell tour here, received a rapturous ovation upon reaching yet another century.
He stretched his world record number of centuries to four more than Lara and fellow Indian Sunil Gavaskar.
On India's last tour to Australia in 2003-04, Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 241 at the SCG and he also hit an unconquered 148 in the drawn 1992 Sydney Test on his first tour of Australia.
He was pivotal in India adding 187 runs for the last three wickets on Friday as the tail wagged vigorously.
Tailender Harbhajan Singh helped himself to 63 off 92 balls, RP Singh to 13 off 22 and Ishant Sharma to 23 off 34 to keep Australia in the field for virtually the entire third day.
Centuries by Tendulkar and V.V.S. Laxman (109) have turned around India's fortunes after last week's ignominious 337-run defeat in Melbourne and given them a chance of levelling the four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series over the closing two days.
But Australia also remain hopeful. "There is a chance of winning this match, definitely," paceman Brett Lee said of Australia's chances of winning a record-equalling 16th consecutive Test.
"Tomorrow's (Saturday) first session of day four will probably be the most important session of the match. It's going to be the telltale of the whole Test match.
"When Ricky (Ponting) thinks that we've got enough runs, if we bat well, then it's time to go out there and have a crack at them."
Lee finished with 5-119 off 32.2 overs and combined with wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist for the dismissals of Mahendra Dhoni (2) and skipper Anil Kumble (2).
Dhoni's wicket was Gilchrist's 400th Test dismissal.
In the morning session, leg-spinner Brad Hogg enticed Sourav Ganguly on 67 to hit over the top of the ringed field only to find Mike Hussey at deep mid-off.
Ganguly slammed his bat into the ground before he left the wicket, annoyed that he had fallen for the Australian trap set for him.
The former Indian skipper batted for 116 minutes and hit seven fours and a straight six off spinner Michael Clarke off 78 balls. He put on 108 for the fourth wicket with Tendulkar.
Yuvraj Singh followed up his duck and five in last week's first Melbourne Test with another batting failure.
The under-fire number six was trapped leg before wicket for 12 by a Brett Lee inswinger. Yuvraj held his place in the side for the Sydney Test despite a push for opener Virender Sehwag to rejoin the team.